The Movement of Mountains
American physician and speculative fiction writer.
Michael Blumlein, M.D. (June 28, 1948 – October 24, 2019) practiced medicine and taught at the University of California, San Francisco for many years after earning his medical degree there. Alongside his medical career, he wrote fiction primarily in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres, earning nominations for both the World Fantasy Award and the Bram Stoker Award. His first published story, the science fiction horror piece "Tissue Ablation and Variant Regeneration: A Case Report," appeared in the British magazine *Interzone* in 1984 and became one of his most frequently reprinted and well-known works. His other short fiction appeared in venues such as *Interzone* and *The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction*, and editor Ellen Datlow included his work in several anthologies. Blumlein’s novels include *The Movement of Mountains* (1987), *X, Y* (1993), and *The Healer* (2005). His short fiction was collected in volumes such as *The Brains of Rats* (1990), *What the Doctor Ordered* (2013), *All I Ever Dreamed* (2018), and *Thoreau's Microscope* (2018). Posthumous collections *Long* and *Short* (both 2023) gather his novellas and shorter stories, respectively. He also published the novellas *The Roberts* (2011) and *Longer* (2019).
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1948-06-28
- Birth Place
- San Francisco, California, U.S.
- Death Date
- 2019-10-24
- Occupation
- Author, physician
- Education
- University of California, San Francisco
- Genre
- Science fiction, fantasy, horror
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Michael Blumlein attended medical school at the University of California, San Francisco and worked as a practicing doctor and member of the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco for decades. He commenced his literary career in 1984 with the publication of the science fiction horror short story 'Tissue Ablation and Variant Regeneration: A Case Report', which appeared in the British publication Interzone. This would become one of his most reprinted and famous works. His other short fiction appeared in Interzone, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and other publications, and editor Ellen Datlow included his work in a number of anthologies.
Reader's Guide
Michael Blumlein's significance lies in his dual career as a physician and a writer of speculative fiction. His work, often blending medical themes with science fiction, fantasy, and horror, earned him nominations for the World Fantasy Award and the Bram Stoker Award. His debut short story 'Tissue Ablation and Variant Regeneration: A Case Report' (1984) became a frequently reprinted piece. Blumlein's novels include The Movement of Mountains (1987), X, Y (1993), and The Healer (2005). His short fiction collections, such as The Brains of Rats (1990) and What the Doctor Ordered (2013), showcase his range. Posthumous collections Long and Short (both 2023) gather his novellas and short stories. His legacy is that of a writer who brought a medical perspective to speculative genres, with his work preserved in anthologies curated by Ellen Datlow.
Did You Know?
- Blumlein's first published story was 'Tissue Ablation and Variant Regeneration: A Case Report' (1984) in Interzone.
- His novel The Movement of Mountains was published by St. Martin's Press in 1987.
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